


One Day

by melianthegreat



Category: The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: First Kiss, First Time, Frottage, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 09:48:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14186253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melianthegreat/pseuds/melianthegreat
Summary: Two POVs showing how Richard and James really feel for each other, but the other doesn't know.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This mini story (for me) is based on a song called "One Day", which was a bonus track off the album Zoom by ELO. It's a fantastic pop song and within minutes of hearing the song the initial story was there. 
> 
> One day we writers should put together a playlist of music we either write to, include in our works, or become the inspiration for stories. That would be a strange and varied list.

> I know you've heard it all before, but one day you know I'll come knocking on your door. One day.

_  
**James**  
_

He could tell this was going to be a rough day. Just the look in Richard's dark eyes told him.

"Hammond," James greeted him. "Tea?"

"Yeah, thanks." Richard took the cup offered to him and took a sip. "What the fuck are you doing here so early?"

"Production meeting," James answered. "A matter of luck that I remembered the directions without making every wrong turn imaginable. So..." he finished making his tea and took a sip. "...how did I manage to get here before you?"

"Don't ask, mate," he grumbled. There was silence. Something in the way Richard said this made James pay attention. James had been working with Hammond long enough to know something was very wrong, and to know when he actually wanted to discuss it rather just be a man and keep his mouth shut. 

Pulling up a chair and having a seat, James simply crossed his arms and said, "Tell me."

Richard was silent for a moment, then finally huffed out a deep breath. "I had trouble," he answered, his voice so low James almost didn't hear him. 

"What kind of trouble?" 

"I got lost getting here!" Richard answered, exasperated. "I took a wrong turn and got turned round and had trouble remembering how to get back." For a minute James really wanted to laugh. He was always directionality challenged, always everyone taking the piss because he was always last getting anywhere, oftentimes because he got lost. But this was odd for Richard, who was known for his punctuality.

"Okay, so you got lost, no big deal," he tried to play it off. "It happens."

"That's not the only thing," Richard argued. James' face encouraged him to continue. "I stopped for petrol last night," he sighed. "So I go inside to pay and grab a couple of things. But I couldn't remember the PIN to my card. I had to look it up on my phone."

"Yeah, but you've done that for the longest time, Richard," James answered. "Ever since..."

"Exactly," Richard nodded. "And at first I was just going to play it off, because I can't be the first who loses track of those things. But I realize this clerk recognizes me. Then I glance down to see the tabloid the clerk was reading. There's a picture of me...and the headline is what Jezza said." James winced; Jeremy had cracked a partial joke at Richard's expense, stating his memory had been affected by brain damage from that first big accident in 2006. But the statement went viral, and now it was running in just about every tabloid in print and online. "The clerk said nothing, but I could see that look," Richard continued. "'Oh, you poor, poor man'."

James sighed. "Hammond, you know that Jezza meant it as sort of a joke," he said.

"I know that," Richard acknowledged. "You know it and Wilman knows it, and everyone else. Or, at least I did. Then it happened this morning and now I'm not so sure."

James got up, made another cup of tea, and offered it to Richard. This was not an entirely new conversation. Over the years, as Richard had recovered so remarkably from the accident that nearly killed him, there had been times when Richard had asked whether some newly discovered odd quirk had been there before or after his recovery. Most of the time the recipient of that question--his family, his mates, his coworkers, Mindy--explained it had been there before. But not always. His doctor explained he'd experienced a traumatic event, and he was going to have a type of PTSD regarding anything involving his brain, always wondering if difficulties or oddities had to do with his injury. What the doctor also told him was no two people were alike in terms of their brain injury, and nobody was really sure of his long term prognosis, whether the injury would affect him later.

"I can see it happening to me all over again," Richard said as he drank down about half the cup James offered him. "Even that clerk was waiting for my eyes to point in opposite directions. Now every fan I meet is going to wonder if it's all happening again because I forget a name signing autographs. And then you guys are going to wonder if I screw up something, and Mindy will wonder if I forget a chore I promised to do. And the bitch of it all will be that I'll wonder about it too."

James listened patiently. "Hammond-- _Richard_ , it's true there is a slight difference in you from 2006," he answered gently. "But think about it. You survived something many would say is unsurvivable. You've lived a life that's made you different, with a few knocks. And yes, you don't have the memory you had. You're going on fifty, for Christ's sake."

"Fifty..." Richard groaned. 

"Yes," James answered. _And mind-blowingly beautiful_ , he said to himself. "You're not going to have the memory you had when you were 25. I don't have the memory I had at 25."

"You almost don't need it," Richard replied. "You're a fucking genius. In a strange way, so is Clarkson, at least Andy would argue that."

"And you're not?" _Sure as hell doesn't take a genius to know how I've felt about you all this time. How if I had a chance I'd kiss you and tell you how much you really mean to me. That I have dreams about us together, doing what we do now, only that both of us know each other as lovers, that you know my body the way you know Mindy's and I know yours the way she does._ "Yeah, Hammond, you've knocked your brain about a few times, and I'm sure that's affected you some. But you're a bloke. Blokes remember the things that are important to us. It's not like you're in danger of not remembering your name tomorrow."

"But I wonder if one day I'm going to climb into the helicopter to fly home and forget how to get there, or even forget how to fly the thing in the middle of the trip."

"But you won't, you just won't," James told him. "Right after the accident, when you had the memory of a goldfish, you didn't forget you were married."

"But I thought my wife was _French_ , and Mindy was just some pretty woman I was chatting up," Richard argued.

"Because your brain was scrambled," James argued back. "You knew French. You knew you were married. The point is, you remember the things that matter. If it becomes important to you it will stick in there." _And I wish I was someone that mattered to you._ "But I wouldn't worry much about losing your mind, Hammond. You never really had much of one to begin with."

"Funny, very funny," Richard chuckled.

James grinned. "As for people waiting for you to start acting like a mental, just be polite. Then tell them to sod off." 

Jeremy peeked into the door. "Guys, the sooner we can start this damned meeting, the sooner we can finish and I can go about my day," he griped. 

"Yeah, see you in there," James called out as Jeremy shut the door. He turned his attention back to Richard. "Did any of that help?" he asked.

Richard sighed. "Not really, if I'm honest," he answered softly. "It did a little. Thanks." 

"Anytime," James replied. "Go on. I need another cup to get myself through this." He stared after Richard as he left. _And one day it will be me offering more than just listening and advice. One day I'm going to tell you. That I've spent all this time being more than your mate. That I've spent nights thinking about you, worrying over you, wanting you, wanting you to want me back. But I don't know how you'd react. Whether you'd laugh it off or punch me in the face or remind me you're married. But one day soon I won't worry about that and I'll simply tell you._

_One day._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This mentions the crash Richard had in Hemberg, for those who are still unnerved by this. Thought I should warn you.

_**Richard** _

Damn, this car was fast. He was loving this, loving his job, loving his life. He'd made everyone's jaws hit the dirt during that drag race with Clarkson and May. He beat the NSX and the Aventador; the technician from Lamborghini must be pissing himself right now, wondering how fast he can get to a phone and call back to the home office. It was that fast, that special.

He crossed the finish line, but the curve was _**RIGHT THERE.**_ He tried to make the turn but overcompensated. He slid off the road. He was backward. Then he was flipping. At one point he was in the air, pretty high in the air, knowing the higher he was the more it was going to hurt to land. He knew he was going to die. 

He woke up, strapped in securely. The car had stopped flipping, coming to rest on its roof. His leg hurt. He unlatched the restraint and started to slide out. Then the flames were everywhere. This wasn't the way he wanted to go, aware of the fact he was going to burn. He tried to slide out of the window, but the opening was too small. He could see the track workers running up, and could see in their body language it was too late. They were helpless. He screamed.

Richard woke up with a gasp in the hospital, his leg in a soft cast and propped up. The pain in his knee shot up his leg, nearly making his eyes water. "God," he sobbed, sounding less manly than he thought he should sound.

"Hammond?" came a familiar voice. James leaned over his bed. "You in pain?"

"Yeah," Richard answered, trying to shift his weight a bit to find a more comfortable spot.

"The nurse will be in soon to change the IV," James told him. "They'll give you more painkillers then."

"Okay," Richard answered. "Didn't mean to interrupt your reading." He noticed they were the only ones in the room. "Where is everyone?"

"Wilman and Clarkson went for food," James replied. "Mindy can't get a flight here until the morning. You'll be in surgery when she arrives."

"You talked to her?" 

"Yeah. You were completely out, so waking you was impossible."

 _But you stuck around until I woke up,_ Richard thought. "How did she sound to you?"

"Calm, like she was with you. Good thing you called her. The news coverage has been pretty intense. They keep showing the YouTube video where you slid off. It's even made the news in America." James chuckled slightly, though to Richard it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself. "Mate, when you decide to make the worldwide news, you go all-in."

"Not what I had in mind," Richard grimaced. "The Rimac people must be in a strop over this."

"They stopped by earlier. They're just happy you're alive and somewhat well," James nodded. "They're working on a Concept Two, but you probably shouldn't ask to drive it." 

Richard couldn't help but smile a little at that. "I guess I'll have to have a chat with them. It's the least Andy will make me do." A moment later a nurse entered the room and switched out the IV bag and took readings, promising to return in a few minutes with more painkiller. When things had grown quiet once again, he asked, "What did you see behind me?"

James put his book down and took a deep breath. "I saw people running," he answered, his voice taking on a dark tone. "Course people mostly. But I couldn't stop there so I got to the top where the turnaround was, but I didn't see you there. That's when I realized they were running after you. I got out of the car and ran down to the road. That's when I saw the car upside down and on fire. I thought..." James paused. "I thought you were still in there. I didn't know the course workers had reached you so quickly. I started to run, then I saw Clarkson. He thought you were still in it, too. He practically had to restrain me to keep me from trying to dive in. He thought we were too late. You know how hot those Lithium Ion batteries go up."

"Fuck," Richard whispered. _You were going to try and pull me from a burning car_. He was unsure if he should say what he wanted to say next. "I thought I was going to die," he finally said, his voice low. James looked at him sharply at that. "When I started flipping, I really thought that was going to be the end. I was going too fast and flying down a mountain, and if I didn't die something else really bad was going to happen like in Leeds." Richard shuddered, haunted by memories his doctors say he couldn't possibly have, but he has regardless: the tire blowing and shredding, the going off the runway, the flipping. "Ah! Never mind me," he continued, noticing James' frown as he walked in a few unpleasant memories himself. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that today." He looked up into James' blue eyes and his inner thoughts came in a rush: _And I'm sorry you thought I was dead, that I caused that much pain to everyone, much less you. I would never want to hurt you like that. Because my dying would take me away from so many people I care about, and you are one of them. And I'm sorry you can't possibly be aware of this because you'd just think this was all a bit too weird. Even though you were willing to risk your own death trying to pull me out of a burning car you thought I was in._

"Like we told you earlier, don't worry about all that," James replied, giving Richard a slight grin. "Yeah, we saw it, and what we thought we were seeing was terrible. Which made the news you were alive that much better. That's what counts. And we'll work around all the restrictions on you. We did it with your brain, we can do it with a broken leg." The nurse entered again, this time with a syringe she injected into the IV line. "You do realize we'll be taking the piss on a consistent basis from now on," James added.

"Of course," Richard answered.

"The medicine should start working soon," the nurse told Richard with a light accent. "Let it happen and just go back to sleep. We'll wake you early to prep you for surgery."

"Thanks," Richard answered, feeling the tingle of the medication entering his body. The nurse left. Richard rolled over slightly to look at James, who had returned to the chair. "Why don't you get some sleep?" he asked softly. "The meds will probably have me out awhile."

"When Andy and Jezza return," James said to him. "Meanwhile, I'm going to read some more." He paused. "I'll be here as you fall asleep." With that, James settled himself into the chair comfortably and resumed his place in his book.

The room grew quiet. James read, and Richard watched him, a content grin on his face. _I never realized until now how much you mean to me,_ he said to himself. _And one day soon I'll tell you. I promise. One day._

His eyes closed, and he fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think I'd just let them go on without knowing, did you? Naughtiness happens.

_**Three Years Later** _

Richard taped another box shut and took a look around the room now empty of personal effects. The grey hair was coming in now, though certainly not at the level of James or Jeremy. It had been a gradual process, first a few random ones, then fading at the temples. He rather fancied it, an acknowledgement of his age without making him feel old.

Today was 'cleaning out' day. The end. When the next contract with Amazon had been negotiated for _The Grand Tour_ during the third and last year of the first contract, Jeremy had insisted on two years. He was over 60 now, his age and height was making it more difficult to get in and out of low-slung supercars, and he simply wanted to sit back and enjoy life for awhile. As before, neither Richard or James wanted to keep going without him. And now they had delivered their final episode. The three of them were going to put their focus more on DriveTribe, a safer venture. Better for overall health. Better for this time in their lives.

Richard sighed. What this show had cost him, he dared not think. The crash in 2006 had been on _Top Gear_ , not _Grand Tour_ , but one show had led to the other. And he'd had his fair share of misadventures. After his crash in the Rimac Mindy had put her foot down, no more high-speed racing. Richard had agreed. He wanted to not leave Izzy and Willow without a father. He wanted to watch them grow up, get married, have babies. First they would go off to college. They did. And that's when things fell apart. It often happens in marriages with kids; once the kids are out of the house and the couple is left alone together, they find there really isn't enough reason to stay married. So it was with Richard and Mindy. They loved each other, very much, but both of them lived separate lives. The absence of their lovely daughters left their parents alone together. Mindy was content with her life on the farm in Wales and spending short times alone with Richard. Richard was used to travelling all over the world and spending short times alone with Mindy. Now that the kids were out of the house, both discovered what was left wasn't enough. Richard had been generous, Mindy had not been bitter. Richard had been divorced for a year, and he was just emerging out from under that shadow. He lived near his old home, as Wales had become a part of him. Now, with this retirement from presenting, he was returning to the next phase of his life. Maybe he'd start to date again. Maybe he'd just be the proud father watching Izzy and Willow graduate and start careers. Either way, he was going home. It was time.

"You finished?" James asked from the doorway.

Richard looked up into James' face; _How long has it been that I found his face absolutely adorable?_ he wondered. "About," he answered out loud. "Just taking a last look." James nodded and joined him.

Both were silent, the internal tension ratcheting up. James intended to say something, but was trying to find the courage; he needed to say it, he longed to say it. "So, you off to Wales, then?" he asked. It wasn't what he wanted to say, but at least it stalled him, or else his heart might have exploded. 

"After Clarkson and Wilman get a good sendoff tomorrow night, and I recover from the hangover," Richard announced. 

"What about your flat?"

"I still have the flat another six months," he said. "That gives me a London base for a bit, but then I'm back in Wales full time." He let out a deep breath. "Of course I can manage things from there and only come to London when needed."

"Saves money on a hotel," James added. "Excellent idea, Hammond." He took a glance at Richard and felt his insides twist; _At least it gives slightly more time to convince you to stay._ "I just can't imagine you retired," he chuckled. "You have a combination of energy and a low threshold for boredom."

Richard looked fully at James, his dark eyes large and sad. "I couldn't imagine a lot of things when I started all this," he said. "Izzy was a baby, a _newborn_ , and now she's all grown up. That's hard to imagine. I never imagined I'd be divorced, but I am." _I never imagined you'd be with me through some of the hardest moments of my life, but you were_. "It's time for me to settle down a bit and let my daughters have the fun and crazy adventures."

"But at least you intend to pay visits while in London?" James asked. "We could have some great boozers knowing we can spend the next day in recovery."

"Of course," Richard agreed. "And you and Clarkson can always spend a holiday in the country with me." Then he crinkled his nose and laughed. "Like that would happen." 

"'The country is the bit you drive through between cities,'" James joked, using his best Jeremy imitation. "'It's only good for using more _power!_ '" This reduced both of them to helpless laughter. "God, I'm going to miss that daft old cock." He looked right into Richard's eyes. "I'm going to miss the daft, irritating, younger cock, too."

"We got up to some genuine chaos, didn't we?" Richard said wistfully, looking around the room once more. Richard could almost feel the ache in every cell of his body, desperately wanting to capture James' soft lips with his.

"We did," agreed James, his voice soft. For a moment they stared at each other, their eyes moist, each waiting for the other to make a move. _I want to so much_ , James told himself. _God, you insufferable idiot, he's going to go away forever and never know any of this! Come out with it, man! The worst that happens is he leaves, but he was leaving anyway. Just do it!_ "I'll help you carry your boxes out," he offered to Richard, his voice dark and gruff. He picked up a box while Richard picked up the other one. 

They walked out to the car park, where Richard's Land Rover was waiting. Both boxes fit inside easily. They said nothing as both walked to the driver's side door. "Um, Hammond," James stammered, biting his lip, "I just--"

"James, don't," Richard cut him off. "Tomorrow night's going to be hard enough, and--" He didn't finish, because James was suddenly and quite unexpectedly kissing him. His tongue tentatively licked Richard's lips, shyly asking for entry. James expected Richard to push him away, shocked by the sudden action, but to his surprise he found Richard wasn't pushing him away, but bringing his hand up to his back to pull him closer. James angled his head for deeper access as one hand cupped Richard's cheek and his thumb traced along the cheekbone. A soft, contented sigh escaped both at the same time, enjoying the feel of one another. Then they were pulling away from each other, both flushed and eyes a little darker. Both appeared surprised by whatever it was just happened. Then without a word Richard climbed inside and started the engine.

James blinked furiously. If Richard was rejecting him, why was he giving him the silent treatment? Richard was almost never quiet when angry or upset. He expected, "May! What the _fuck_ are you doing?! What's this all about?? I mean, I know you like both, but you know I'm only into one and it isn't blokes, you idiot! How can you be so fucking stupid?!" 

Instead, Richard simply pulled out of the car park and drove away.

***

James wasn't sure what time he finally entered his house. He'd simply driven around awhile, trying to clear his head. He'd risked it all, kissing Hammond, and yet he felt there was nothing further to lose. Richard was leaving London, returning to where he was most like himself, and James wasn't going to see him again anyway. James wouldn't have a reason to go to Wales, and Richard would never return to London. They would happily enjoy their retirement, Richard would telecommute mostly when working on DriveTribe, they would talk on the phone. But that was pretty much it.

But why did it feel like, for the briefest of moments, that Richard was trying to kiss him back? _Because you wanted him to kiss you back, you halfwit_ , he scolded himself. _What, did you believe for even half a moment there would be this kiss and suddenly Hammond would change the rest of his life for you? You've been watching too many movies. And anyway it's done now. You kissed him, he turned you down. You're bloody fortunate he didn't just haul off and hit you for it. Most men would. Most women, too._ James fed the cats, made himself a cheese sandwich with a pickle and ate that. Then he settled down in the living room to surf the channels on the TV. _Time to accept there's a new life to live, and Richard isn't going to be a part of it._

There was a knock on the door, an insistent rapping he recognized immediately as Richard's. _Maybe he's thought it over and decided to hit me after all._ He went to the door, expecting the fist to come swinging at his face the second the door was opened.

There was Richard, for half a second the picture of every emotion roiling inside evident on his face. James knew he probably deserved what was going to happen next. "I only have one thing to say," Richard announced. With lightning speed his hands cupped James' face. And before James could think to react, he found himself on the receiving end of a hot, powerful kiss that practically knocked him backward. Both groaned at the intensity of it, the sensation coarsing through both of them. Somewhere Richard had the presence of mind to kick the front door shut and toe off his shoes, James still kissing him. 

By the time the kiss ended, both were dizzy from lack of air and were against the wall. "Honest to God, I never knew," Richard panted against him.

"Because you're an idiot, Hammond," James smiled tenderly, trying to catch his own breath. "You've always been as daft as a brush."

"How long?"

"Years," James shrugged. "Years. You?"

"The same. But it was only after Mindy and I separated that I realized how bad I had it."

James' face turned serious. "Wait...oh Rich...please don't tell me that...oh God..."

"No! No." Richard knew where James was going in his brain. One thing he loved dearly about James was that he hated the idea of hurting someone else. He might tell people to sod off on occasion, but being responsible for inflicting pain on another was anathema to him. It would tear him up inside. "James, what happened with Mindy and me had nothing to do with you. In fact, until today I was afraid to admit how I felt to you because I didn't think you would ever feel the same. You could always do better than me."

"No, I can't," James argued with a grin. "I've had all this time to do better. I even had Sarah for the longest time, but she left me. And as much as I wanted you, you could never feel the same for me." 

"After the car park, I drove around for hours, trying to make sense of it," Richard told him. "I wondered if maybe I misinterpreted. The way you kissed me...Wow." He swallowed hard. "Can we, uh, I mean, if you want to, uh..."

James took Richard's hand and smiled, feeling confident. "Absolutely," he answered. Slowly they walked upstairs.

***

Time slowed for both of them. James removed Richard's shirt, then his own, kissing deeply, pressing their bare chests together, both relishing the skin-to-skin contact. James lowered Richard to the bed, his hands roaming over Richard's body, touching and teasing. Richard's hands stroked James' hair, his face, and settled on his back, then lower down, pushing their hips closer together. 

"James..." Richard gasped, but the sound came out more like a moan. James continued the mapping of Richard's body with his hands. "James, wait."

James rose up to look at him. Surely he's not changing his mind. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Before we go any further, you should know...I've never done anything like this."

"I'm your first guy?" James smiled.

Richard blushed. "Well, yeah," he answered. "I've only ever known women."

James' response was to give Richard a kiss, long and sweet. "It's alright," he announced. "I kind of figured that. I won't hurt you, I promise. And...if you want to stop at any time, it's okay." _Chuffing Nora, I've not had to say that in awhile._ From there James had Richard arching his back as his neck and torso were lavished by lips and tongue Richard had never known to be so soft or gentle. It was one of the few times he could ever remember giving up sexual control completely to another, mainly because he was effectively a virgin. 

Once trousers and boxers were removed, revealing bodies and impressive erections, James swallowed hard. "I can't believe it," he whispered. "You're just so beautiful." They kissed yet again as he lined his hips up with Hammond's, rocking together, feeling their cocks rub against one another with a delicious friction.

"God, James," Richard gasped. "Please tell me you can get off this way, because I--"

"Oh, yeah," James moaned, his voice octaves deeper than normal, rippling with a sexual current Richard found turned him on even more. "Just feel, Hammond... oh _fuck_..."

Before long both men were panting heavily, listening to the other moaning helplessly. The friction had been replaced by precum coating both of them together. Richard couldn't remember a more wonderful sensation. He always enjoyed women, he knew he always would, but this feeling was different. Different, and just as satisfying. He'd longed to know how James would be with him, fantasizing in the shower and those stray moments at work when something about the way James looked at him or made a comment or simply licked his lips would render him hard and desperate for a silent wank in the portacabin. And now James was here on top of him, loving him. This was indeed love--for the first time in years he felt adored by someone who wasn't a stranger, someone who wasn't obligated to make him feel taken care of. It was beyond a dream come true.

As the passion rose James could feel he was starting to lose control of himself. He knew things wouldn't change, that Hammond would be leaving. It wasn't going to be like a bit of romantic fiction, where he would stay simply because of a great shag. But if this was going to be the first and last time, James wanted to make sure Richard remembered it, at least as much as his damaged brain would let him remember. And so James was attentive and willing to hold back for him. Until the point things stopped making rational sense and it all became about the two pushing their hips together, the feel of their slick cocks grinding together, feeling the heat generated down there spreading throughout their bodies. Then their pace quickened, became more frantic.

"Jaaaammmmeessss," Richard moaned loudly. James looked down, his hips continuing to move of their own accord; Richard's skin had taken on a dark flush, his muscles straining. James reached down and took both cocks into his large hand pumping a few times. Then Richard came: his body froze, his back arching off the bed almost painfully, and with a whimper splashed over his stomach and chest. A few strokes later James joined him, his body shuddering, stuttering his breath. He collapsed to the side and lay there, both men sweaty and gasping for breath.

When Richard's head cleared he looked over at James, then glanced down at his stomach. "I guess that's a good way to deflower a virgin like me," he chuckled.

James chuckled back, then reached over for the wipes he kept bedside. Carefully he cleaned both Richard and himself, using slow, gentle strokes. "I told you I wouldn't hurt you," he smiled at Richard. "I do like to keep my promises."

Richard leaned over to kiss him. "I think I'll have to rethink the nickname 'Captain Slow'. There are times when that's a good thing." He sighed. "I wish I hadn't taken so much time to find that out."

"It took that long because I was living up to my Captain Slowness," James argued. "I wish I'd been brave enough to admit it before now." He traced Richard's face with his fingertips. "All that time we could have spent together..."

"I know," Richard softly agreed. "Just being like this. Though I'd have to admit it would've been difficult getting any filming done."

James laughed. "Wilman would have been asking, 'Where's Hammond and May?' and one of the crew would've had to tell him we were shagging in the portacabin." Richard joined him in the laugh. "Of course that would have been one of the healthier ways to kill time while the camera crew argued with the sound crew over shadows and background noise."

"I'd be much further along in my studies, especially with you as my teacher," Richard mused. "And I already fancy the pants off my teacher."

James blinked. "You do?" he asked. Richard nodded. He smiled back. "I figure that remark earns you the title of Teacher's Pet." They joined together again in a deep, passionate kiss that did wonders for their flagging libidos and equally flagging erections, as James' large hand had grabbed them once again and was stroking them back to firmness again. "But wait," he muttered in the middle of things. "You're leaving. And going back to Wales."

Richard smiled. "I still have six months," he countered. "You can teach me a lot in six months." He stretched, letting James get a good look at his length at full attention. "And who knows where we'll be? Might have shagged each other to death by then."

James' smile reached deep into his eyes. "That might be a fun way to go," he replied. He got off the bed and pulled Hammond up with him. "Time for the next lesson," he announced. "Shower first. And maybe I'll instruct the Teacher's Pet in a Latin term."

"Latin?" 

"Oh yes. Latin. And Science. And Male Anatomy...plenty of subjects."

***

At the party the next night, Jeremy and Andy took one look at Richard and James, saw the smiles on their faces, and knew what had happened. "About fucking time, too," Jeremy whispered to them. Then he went off to settle his bet with Wilman. 

As the party went on both Richard and James were separated. But they would catch the other's eye from across the room and smile. 

Six months. A lot could be taught and learned in six months.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Not a word of a lie on this: just as I pulled up the first chapter to post, what pops up on my tablet playlist is--of course--"One Day". As Richard Hammond once said, "My life is weird".
> 
> BTW, the PTSD issue mentioned regarding brain events is quite real and was mentioned by my own doctor. When something weird happens there is wondering, however briefly, if your injury has something to do with it. Or if it's happening again. Doesn't happen all the time, but it's there and may always lurk in there somewhere. It wouldn't surprise me if Hammond has that happen occasionally.


End file.
